John Treasurer felt the time was right to leave his hometown club Fort William for a new challenge at Nairn County.
Treasurer had spent the majority of his Highland League career with Fort, before penning a one-year deal with Nairn this week.
He was club captain at Claggan Park and has been named clubman of the year at the annual Highland League awards ceremony.
However, with sweeping changes taking place at the Fort this summer and Treasurer’s contract coming to an end, a change of scenery made perfect sense.
He said: “I was approaching the end of my contract at Fort William and knew there was a lot of changes going on.
“I’d been there quite a period of time. I made my first appearance at the end of 2013 at 16. I went away to Strathspey for a year and came back.
We have completed the signing of defender John Treasurer from Fort William. Full story:https://t.co/hQ4GaNHMFc
Image by @Cutter3110. pic.twitter.com/4UEQWqSzJT
— Nairn County FC (@NairnCounty) July 15, 2021
“I’ve been involved for the last four or five years and felt I had helped the club as much as I could. I needed a new challenge in a football sense.
“Where I live you’re limited to what you can approach, due to the travelling. One of the closer clubs is Nairn and it’s a team I have admired for a long time.
“It’s got a good fanbase and it’s a professional outfit, from having a director of football to being community run. The initial contact came through Graeme Macleod (director of football) and I was welcomed into the first session.
“There’s a lot of competition for places and I know it’s going to be a competitive season. I need to work hard to get a chance in the team. I know it will come and when I get in the team, I need to stay there.”
Treasurer works for the family business in Fort William, a financial management company, and will commute between Lochaber and Nairn this season.
He becomes manager Ronnie Sharp’s fourth signing of the summer, after Conor Gethins, Grant Hogg and Rory Williamson.
Treasurer added: “It’s a change from playing for my local town. There will be a lot of travelling involved, but I’m more than happy to do it.
“They’re a good professional outfit and have got high expectations. They want to progress up the league.
“I know a few of the boys from playing in the Highland League and who have been at Fort William. They’ve made me feel welcome.”
Still young, but Treasurer feels like old hand
Treasurer came through the youth system at Caley Thistle, where he played alongside current Nairn defender Calum Howarth. He has also played alongside Scott Davidson, Kenny McKenzie and Calum Maclean.
The 24-year-old defender featured as a trialist for the Wee County in pre-season and believes he has plenty of experience under his belt already, after his apprenticeship at Fort.
He added: “The Highland League tends to predominantly be an experienced league, with professionals at the end of their careers that have maybe got jobs now.
“I’m fitting in that sort of younger bracket, but at the same time I feel like I’ve been involved for quite some time, having first played when I was 16. I could still be there for another 10 years yet.
“I know what the Highland League is about and what’s expected.”
